The Reds selected Votto in the second round of the 2002 draft out of Richview Collegiate Institute in Toronto. A few years later, he broke out as one of the best players in baseball with four consecutive All-Star appearances between 2010 and 2014 and the National League MVP Award in 2010.

The dream of Votto returning home and joining the Blue Jays when he reached free agency was over before it began as he inked a 10-year, $225 million deal with the Reds in April of 2012. At the time, it was the longest guaranteed contract in Major League Baseball history and it made Votto the highest-paid athlete from Canada.

Votto is now 39 years old and his contract is coming to an end following the 2023 season. Given his age, there’s been plenty of speculation that this will be Votto’s last season but he hasn’t made any formal announcement that he’s planning to retire.

Votto’s 2022 season was almost completely derailed by injury. He appeared in 91 games and slashed a .205/.319/.370 line, a career-low in average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage. He underwent season-ending surgery in August to repair a torn left rotator cuff.

As much fun as it is to imagine Votto suiting up for his hometown club, the odds of that happening seem pretty unlikely at this point.

The Blue Jays signed a veteran left-handed first baseman in the off-season, Brandon Belt, to split time at first with Vladimir Guererro Jr., last year’s Gold Glove winner at the position. Trading for Votto would probably mean that one of those two players got injured because the only hypothetical other fit for him on the roster would be an off-the-bench lefty pinch-hitting option.